RPC UWC: economic efficiency is the only criterion of freight car innovativeness
Alexey Sokolov, First Deputy CEO for Strategy and Product at RPC “Research and Production Corporation “United Wagon Company”, participated in the roundtable discussion “Rolling Stock Market. How to find a balance” in the framework of the XIV International Conference “Transportation Market: Interaction and Partnership”.
In his report, Alexey Sokolov noted that the only criterion of innovativeness of a freight car is the economic efficiency of its use. Neither the type of the bogie, nor the application of cassette-type bearings, nor other technical characteristics characterize a freight car as innovative. Nowadays, the market offers rolling stock of two types: that of the old generation and of the new generation which are different in terms of their technical characteristics. However, only a part of freight cars of the latter type can be actually classified as innovative, namely, those which are able to generate the highest economic effect owing to their design solutions and advanced technical performance that ensure a lower transportation cost of a ton of freight, smaller railcar life-cycle costs, and enlarged traffic capacity of the Russian railways.
Further, as highlighted by Mr. Sokolov, shipping should be economically efficient for everyone involved in the process: the consignor, the carrier, the owners of the infrastructure and the rolling stock. This is an essential condition for classifying a freight car as innovative. Then the state will be able to accumulate the occurring synergetic effect from the operation of such fleet and use it for the development of both transportation and economy.
Speaking on the promotion of innovative railcars on the network, Alexey Sokolov emphasized that “incentivizing to use a part of investments for purchasing new rolling stock is extremely important in terms of providing equally competitive environment for the new railcar building industry and the older depreciated fleet. This way, the government and JSC “RZD” will enjoy additional budget receipts from the increased goods turnover and reduce both capital and operating expenses on the infrastructure”.
“Transportation Market: Interaction and Partnership” is a specialized conference for Russian rolling stock operators, cargo owners, the railway carrier and state regulating bodies. The issues discussed at the event include technical solutions for railway transportation and the mechanisms of interaction among JSC “RZD”, the operator and the consumer of transport services are discussed at the conference. The conference is annually attended by some 600 delegates, including the heads of the Ministry of Transportation and JSC “RZD”, independent experts and scientists.
